La Bahia Hotel & Spa

The landmark bell tower has been standing since the 1920s, and La Bahia is the hotel that finally caught up to it. Set on Beach Street with actual ocean views from many of its 155 rooms, this Spanish Mediterranean property is Santa Cruz's most luxurious place to sleep, with a spa, a pool, and several bars and restaurants ranging from casual poolside to coastal Californian. The rooms mix the building's original Spanish bones with something clean and contemporary.